Page 61 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
Melissa really wanted to know their story, but she couldn’tbring herself to ask Doon-wen something so personal. She hadn’t even asked himabout his name. Yet he and his bondmate were making some kind of offer.
Within his grasp, her fingers curled into uncertain fists.“Please, sir. I’m not sure if we’re talking about my job, the proposed enclave,my duties as a reaver, or … or what.”
Doon-wen pressed his thumbs into her fists, uncurling herfingers and kneading her palms. “Why do you withhold yourself from marriage?”
He’d changed the subject again? This had better not be amatchmaking session. But Melissa preferred to set the matter straight. She gavehim the short version. “I never met anyone at academy who was interested inmore than my rank and designation. Rather than entering a pragmatic contractualarrangement in order to produce the requisite three children, I hope to securethe lifelong love and loyalty of a Kith partner.”
“You don’t want children?”
She fidgeted. “I suppose. I mean, I intend to do my part.But I don’t like to think about going through all of that alone.”
Doon-wen frowned. “You would have a husband.”
He was thinking like a wolf. “Reaver families aren’t like apack. I barely know my biological father. Mom contracted with him to meet herquota, but they never lived together.”
A growl rumbled between them. “I did not raise Chris totreat the bonds of blood so lightly.”
She wanted to defend him, if only because she’d neverexpected anything more from the man. Most of her friends at academy came fromsimilar circumstances. “He made sure I knew how to reach him. He made sure Ifound my way here.”
One large hand cupped her cheek. “So you could gain what hecould not supply.”
Truly? Melissa thought Doon-wen was giving her father toomuch credit. But she couldn’t bring herself to contradict the wolf any morethan she could look away.
With a parting caress, he stood and pulled her to her feet.Keeping hold, he drew her over to True, who lifted her head, ears pricked. Doon-wenadopted a respectful posture and addressed his bondmate. “You were right. Likethe Nightspangle pack, who remember the songs that bring the stars near, Icannot resist the cry of her heart. Here is one who values love and loyalty.Shall we nurture her hopes together?”
True rolled her eyes and growled. Not in grumbles and snaps,but in something akin to exasperation.
Doon-wen muttered, “Yes, Iknowit was your idea. Ionly wanted to give our offer a touch of formality.”
He guided Melissa to a seat between True’s forepaws. When hejoined her, he startled her by hauling her onto his lap.
“Iknowshe is not a child, but I would do the samefor Chris or Ash oranyof ours.” Doon-wen huffed and asked, “Are you discomfited,Melissa?”
“Less than I might have been. Rook likes this for tending.”
The hint of a smile tugged at Doon-wen’s lips. “If you willentrust yourself to my brother, my bondmate, and me, we will foster you. Inbecoming a member of our pack, your only obligation will be to us.”
“Like Jiminy?”
“Precisely.”
Melissa had to ask. “Are you doing this for him?”
Doon-wen leaned back and looked up. “I am doing this forTrue.”
Smiling in spite of her suspicions, Melissa reached up tostroke the she-wolf’s face. “Areyoudoing this for Jiminy?”
“She says she is looking out for our cubs.” A mellownessentered his tone—paternal, proud. “Not many days remain before this littermakes its way into the world.”
Really, Melissa couldn’t tell. She patted the Kith. “Nowonder you wanted him home.”
The she-wolf grumbled.
Doon-wen boosted her to her feet and stood, circling aroundto kneel at True’s side. “Here. Give me your hand.”
Melissa knelt with him, and he pressed her more firmly intoTrue’s side than she would have dared.
“We aren’t hurting her,” he promised. “Here … and here. Thisis the curve of a rump, and their sibling is tucked close. Feel that?”
